CHRISTMAS! Fragrance, friends, chosen family. There were adventures and excitement enough for a month.

Scent Diary: 25.12 – 31.12.2017

Monday 25:

Jin came home from work at 5.30am and we had our Christmas moment then.It was lovely. He got some cool Aussie Bum undies, Petrol Cards to fill up his real present which was a car earlier in the year and a couple of T-Towels from his Parramatta Ells football team. I scored 9 pairs of my favourite glasses from Italian brand Campo Marzio in myriad colours, Jin imported them from the South Korean shop in Seoul. VERY freaking cool present buying.

I wanted to smell yummy for the mini Christmas so Rouge Hermès. It was a good choice, soft white floral with a few bells & whistles. Not to mention how Christmassy the bottle looks.

Dogs got a new chew toy each, fed and walked.

While Jin slept I went to Kath’s Mum & Dads to meet Kath and have a quiet christmas morning hang out. We did presents there too and Dad was Jin’s Secret Santa so he got 2 bottles of Spanish Rosé, Lindt chocolate balls and a Bunnings Gift Card.

Lunch with the rest of Kath’s family. It was nice to wander in, eat, do presents and leave. SO EASY!

Home and Jin was awake so we hung out and watched some shit movies together. Dinner was leftovers. HAPPY afternoon and night.

Tuesday 26:

Serge Lutens Clair de Musc from a decant. Yes, I do have a bottle but found this old 5ml decant that needed finishing. Going clean and fluffy for Boxing Day.

Off to Kath’s Mum & Dad’s place for early Boxing Day shenanigans. We stayed to have lunch with everyone and then split. From there I went and collected Wendy and Jin, she and I all hung out into the early evening. We ate a scruffily delicious cheese, ham & fruit platter while watching How To Train A Dragon and drinking lashings of tea.

10 hours later I can still smell soft musk wafts from Serge Lutens Clair de Musc but I’m wanting something else. Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely has won the day and I’m basking in its comfortable glow.

Wednesday 27:

We were woken by the apartment block across from us at 6.40am, they were having a right old barney. Screaming and fighting. It was pretty crazy but not up to their usual standards where I call the police. It raged on for 30 minutes.

Being wide awake I went and got the dogs and they came and snoozed with us on the bed. I’m changing the sheets today so no worries.

Feeling so lazy. It’s hot and humid. How about some James Heeley Esprit du Tigre?

This afternoon I added vintage Miss Dior EdT to go see Jumanji with Eve, Lola and Jin. I admit to being fairly unexcited to see it.

O M G! Jumanji was freaking EXCELLENT!! Cannot tell you how much I enjoyed it. The Rock and Jack Black totally steal this fun romp of a film. I was on the edge of my seat through quite a lot of it and laughed heartily.

We came home and had some lunch with a delicious McLaren Vale Spanish inspired red wine and then watched most of Happy Feet till Lola started falling asleep. To be honest, I don’t drink very often so the heavy red wine sent me off to bed to sleep it off too.

Jin woke me at around 8.30pm when he came to bed and so now I’m up and awake. About to walk the dogs on this cooler summer evening. I thought a triple spritz of Peau d’Allures by Starck a perfect choice, green, boozy, swampy with a lovely ruinous undertow. This bottle was a gift from my friend Tim and I adore it.

Thursday 28:

Fort & Manlé Charlatan this morning. Maybe because I showered yesterday it smelled a bit funkier, a little pissy and hairy mannish. It was a good ride.

Yum Cha with Kath, Alice, TinaG and Tim. It was nice, chatty and fun.

You’ll note Alice was wearing the birthday earrings Jin picked out for here. SO CUTE!!

Came home and crashed on the couch. Ate Christmas Cake with cream and custard and watched Daniel Radcliffe in 2013 film Horns. It was OK, one thing I did notice was that after a minute he became this new character and had successfully sloughed off Harry Potter for me.

Jin came home and we had pizza for dinner while watching The Danish Girl (2015) with Eddie Redmayne. IMDb gives this blurb: “A fictitious love story loosely inspired by the lives of Danish artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Lili and Gerda’s marriage and work evolve as they navigate Lili’s groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer.” Heavy and deep, we were moved by their plight and Gerda’s unstinting love.

For bed I gave myself a solid dousing in Niki de Saint Phalle. It’s parched greenery helps to dry this muggy night.

Friday 29:

It was already warm this morning when I walked the dogs. They were puffing so much that I brought them home after only walking around the block. They gratefully came inside afterwards and sat on their beds in the cool.

Thinking tropical I went for Guerlain Lys Soleia. It was a good fit.

Hung out with Jin, Kath and Mum and had a swim with Kath in this outrageously muggy heat. It’s drier than the last couple of days but trying to get stuff done means I’m sweating much more.

Jin and I had KFC for lunch that we grabbed on the way home. It was freaking delicious.

After that I basically fell into a food coma and didn’t snap out of it till 9pm. While food coma-ing I started watching Luther on Netflix.

BTW, did you notice Netflix has been removing content? A few times this fortnight I’ve gone to rematch stuff and it’s disappeared. BUMMER!

Saturday 30:

Stayed up VERY late watching Luther on Netflix. Idris Elba is my new celeb crush. Let’s get him to make a fragrance. I’ve put on some Gres Cabochard parfum in his honour.

So I fell asleep watching Luther and woke up with a mouth that tasted like the bottom of a cat litter box. GAH! Awful, ran straight for the bathroom to clean my teeth.

Feeling a little more human after feeding and walking the dogs. L’Artisan Batucada got some skin time today. I don’t understand why this is not lauded as a freaking genius perfume. It smells like a Pine Lime Splice, an Australian ice block with pine lime icy coat and creamy vanilla ice cream inside, with a hint of coconut. Batucada is YUM!

Went and had a coffee and baklava with my mate Nikki but TOTALLY forgot to take a photo. We chattered away a very happy hour.

Back home and doing some blogging for next week. Wearing a melange of scents.

Cool bath. No bubbles, just Radox Bath Salts.

Alice sent me this genius Scarf Knot map.

Sunday 31:

2am and I’m for bed. Tonight I’m wearing Estee Lauder Beyond Paradise Blue to bed, from the teardrop bottle that I love so much. That cold gasoline opening that melts into a white floral waterfall with lightly creamy and lavender touches.

It’s New Years Eve. I have a bunch of running around and organising to do but before I get started on all that I’m meeting Kath at her Mum & Dads for a SWIM!

Today I’m rocking Tom Ford Jasmine Rouge. It requires respritzes every two hours but that’s part of the fun!

Tonight I’ll be at Parramatta RSL ringing in the New Year with my besties Kath and Phil. Can’t think of a better way to do it. Can’t decide on my fragrance for tonight yet but I’m thinking Madonna Truth or Dare or Mugler Taste of Alien.

I would like to thank everyone involved in Australian Perfume Junkies. If you write, read, comment or are in any way involved THANK YOU for making 2017 a really wonderful year. Got to meet a few more of you too this year which is always special.

Wishing you and your crew a fun and fragrant 2018 chock full of all the good stuff and hardly any of the other.

It’s YOUR turn. What’s happening in your world?

Did you do anything Fun or Fragrant, with Friends and Family or maybe even had some less than Fabulous news you want to share? How is or was your New Year?
Now’s the time, in the comments below.
We love to read what’s happening to YOU.
Portia xx

Leading up to Christmas week here. Getting as ready as we can and trying unsuccessfully to fit hangouts with everyone in. It has been fun wrapping everyones presents and seeing them during the daytime, when normally they’re all working.

Scent Diary: 18.12 – 24.12.2017

Monday 18:

WOW! 10am and 28C. I woke up in a sweat even though the fan is on. Muggy too. Still I want to feel pretty today so a triple spritz of SJP Lovely. Never fails to bring a smile to my face and in summer is perfectly bracing. I feel chilled through.

Wendy came over today so Jin could help her organise her new computer. We had lunch and chattered, then they watched TV while I ran some errands. It was a lovely day.

Then visited Kath’s Mum who was not in a good way at all. Hugs and tears all round.

Jin and I then went and got Baklava from Sydney’s best and most famous Lebanese sweet shop, Abla’s. Baklava is the universal cure all.

SO HOT, it’s like my skin is burning in hot water. I’m bringing the fan in here. It’s so hot that I don’t even want fragrance on me.

Tuesday 19:

Scott and I worked through the 42C heat and it nearly broke us. Bloody hell. 1pm drives to the bank, post office and around about left us sweating and panting.

It is so hot I made a cool Radox Bath Salts Bath. Instantly my whole body started to feel like it could function again and thought became possible. Getting out afterwards into the superheated air was like walking through warm treacle.

I wore CHANEL Boy tonight to work. It got a couple of random compliments but honestly I couldn’t smell it after the first hour or so. It seemed like more than our fair share of crazies were out last night. Had a rather unsavoury contretemps at the RSL with a slightly unhinged person. It all ended with his eviction and was a little unsettling but no harm done to anyone.

Bedtime; So hot and sticky (31C at 1am) I’m sweating just sitting at the computer. We do have the AC on dry mode which has cooled the living room and Jin, the dogs & I will sleep there. Dogs on their beds, Jin & I on the couch. Neela Vermeire Pichola. It’s plush, creamy white floral over green and resinous base is a perfect heat beater.

Wednesday 20:

WOW! Got a fabulous nights sleep. The whole four of us slept till 9am and then Jin had to go for a medical appointment and I fed & walked the dogs. Got their nails clipped at the local vet at the same time. It was bloody hot out thee and we arrived home panting, me sweating as well.

What better heat beater than Frederic Malle Geranium Pour Monsieur?

It was so cooling I respritzed again after lunch while opening this years Christmas Cards. There has been a drought this year and I did only about 10. If one of these is from you then you are a freaking HERO!! Seriously. I love getting them.

Visited Kath’s Mum in hospital in the afternoon and she seemed sunnier, if no better. Having just been for a walk there was a healthy flush and twinkle in her eye. She already had visitors so we didn’t stay overly long.

Jin cooked Korean Chicken Curry and we had it with Brown Rice. He is a wonderful cook and I love it when we eat together. Today we also watched this cute TV show about otters that didn’t like water and how they got retrained to love it.

Tonight Alice has grabbed tickets to the closing night of an original Australian theatre production. Called the Bodybag it’s a spoof on the Bodyguard. Can’t wait to see it. The producer and star is a mate of mine Trevor Ashley, well know around the Drag Scene as Cleopatra Coupe.

Tonight I’m wearing Teone Reinthall’s Antarctica from a decant. It is outrageous in this heat and has nothing to do with the cold icy turn the name suggests to me. It’s very furry and I’m enjoying it immensely.

Bloody Hell The Bodybag was hilarious. We laughed so hard. Excellent show. Here we are before & after

Thursday 21:

Blessed relief. Woke up today to a sensible 24C and some cloud cover. It’s still like walking through a pool, humidity wise, but at least the air isn’t burning my lungs like a sauna. The dogs were 100% more lively on our walk this morning.

Went and saw Kath’s Mum, with Kath. The doctor was trying to get a canal out and all of a sudden it was rivers of blood. GAK! Poor Mum. I did ask if they would PLEASE get the nurses to do all the needles, canals and blood relateds from now on. They are SO MUCH BETTER at doing it all.

Then Kath & I went shopping for a while. It was nice to just aimlessly hang out, she’s good company.

Jin and I FaceTimed today while he was working. Isn’t he the cutest thing EVER! It’s weird that we both look so serious, and it was an accidental capture, but I thought you should see him in his work clobber.

Salt-Anne sent me a beautiful pic of a similar Niki de Saint Phalle bottle so I sent her a pic of mine. So beautiful.

Tonight I went to dinner at the Kings Park Tavern. A farewell for one of the teams that have played since before I started there. It was a lovely evening, food was excellent and we had a wonderful time. Bittersweet because I probably won’t be back without my Thursday booking. Very sad. We had so much fun I forgot to take a photo. GRRR!

For bed I popped on some Mona di Orio Oiro, a powdery white floral with soft creamy ylang & amber holding it steady. It smells luxurious and very elegant.

Friday 22:

Up early to feed and walk the dogs. It’s freaky outside, cloudy, not very hot but so humid that I feel wet. Big day out today with friends so I’m going to jump a train and get it started ASAP. Wearing Diptyque 34.

First friend I organised to meet today is Phil. He has a brand new new office and I had an Office Warming gift for him. Then we asked across town to see “Rembrandt and the Dutch golden age: masterpieces from the Rijksmuseumat” at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. It’s a special exhibition and I have been looking forward to it. The exhibition is a really good size, not too much so you leave with brain overload and a very nice selection of the genre. We found our guide lacked the ability to engage us, which was a shame. She knew ALL the facts and rattled them off impeccably but I felt no personal attachment to the works, and gained only a little knowledge under her onslaught. Then we went down to the Members Lounge and lunched. It was really nice.

Met Evie in Macquarie St and we had sidewalk drinks and chatter. She is such good company and wet had OODLES of catching up to do. Then we headed off to the NSW State Library to see “The Sydney Morning Herald’s photography exhibition Photos1440: the best published and unpublished images by Sydney Morning Herald photographers from 2015 to the present.” It was spectacular. Some interesting, moving, shocking and heartwarming photos. All beautifully shot and gave us so much to chat about as we wandered. We also managed to squeeze in a fun Aussie Pop Culture exhibition too. All for FREE!

Jumped a train to Kath’s, we had to go do some Bunnings shopping. It’s our major hardware chain and has everything, for the Non Australian readers. Just some planters and soil for a repotting job. Before we got there though I finagled Kath into visiting one of my favourite warehouse reduction places, Victoria’s Basement. A homewares heaven. It’s IMPOSSIBLE to go there and come out empty handed. It was super fun. I even managed to have a bunch of bowls jump off their precarious perch. We saved three but one hit the floor and became shards.

Met Jin outside Kath’s apartment because he works around the corner. We had to do some last minute shopping and grab some of the food necessary. Dinner was at our second favourite Sushi Train and then Jin treated me to a shared dessert (triple chocolate mousse cheesecake: To Die For and of probably) and extra chocolate at Guylian. It was so fabulous and decadent.

Bubble Bath with L`Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse aux Papillons.

SOTBed Issey Miyake A Scent in outrageous amounts. Just kept spritzing and respritzing till I was a fumigation machine.

Saturday 23:

Jin and I were up early and I had a quick spritz of Guerlain Mitsouko EdT.

Walked the dogs, visited Mum at the hospital, did some early morning shopping.

Came home and Jin has started cooking the pork for Christmas. He also does extra crackling and that is superb.

A lovely lunchtime nap. We have the AC on dry so instead of supercooling the air it takes the hot sting and the water out. It leaves our living room a haven and runs at less than half the cost. We have the dogs on their beds and we take the couch. We didn’t even bother to leave the TV on, just a cool quiet room to sleep in.

Found out today that the hotel that has finished Turbo Trivia after about 15 years will be bringing in a new crew after new year and moving it to a better area. I’m glum.

What better way to beat the glum than triple spritz some perfume? One of the newest DIOR Privee, Souffle de Soie from a decant. Review coming soon.

In the evening I went into town and Kath & I went on our annual prawn buying expedition to the Sydney Fish Markets. We catch public transport down on the 23rd night, grab some dinner and shop. The markets are open for 36 hours in the lead up to Christmas and usually they are jam packed. Tonight was not so busy and we even got harbourside seats for dinner and watched the sunset. It was unbelievably beautiful. I could have stopped there for another hour and just chattered away.

Tonight for bed I spritzed The Scent Of Departure DPS Bali. A fun coconut-centric tropical perfume filled to the brim with yellow and white flowers over a vanilla base.

Sunday 24:

Woke up and gave the house a vacuum, boy cleaned the bathroom, fed and walked the dogs. Gave myself some healthy spritzes of Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Teazzura. A cooling, dry, tart and lightly creamy sweet concoction that lasts about an hour, two if I’m lucky. In this heat I’m getting about 40 minutes before I’m left with a soft laundry musk and a sparkle.

TinaG dropped by on her way to family Christmas and we had Sue’s Christmas Cake and fresh cream with Fortnum & Mason Royal Blend tea and Wirra Wirra Mrs Wigly Sparkling Moscato. Jin was awake and we had a lovely festive time.

Did some blogging in the afternoon but it was pretty lethargic, it’s too hot for prose. Felt the need for some divine beauty this evening so Fort & Manlé’s Charlatan got a lovely wear in the heat.

Made tomorrows Potato Salad, cut the Pork & Crackling and then lay around the couch under the fan till walking the dogs tonight.

It’s YOUR turn. What’s happening in your world?

Did you do anything Fun or Fragrant, with Friends and Family or maybe even had some less than Fabulous news you want to share? Now’s the time, in the comments below.
We love to read what’s happening to YOU.
Portia xx

It’s heating up here in Sydney. Summer has arrived and this year it’s showing us a very humid face. Not horrible but it will take a couple of weeks to get used to.

Jin has been around the house sick so the upside of that is we get to hang together. Obviously the downside is that everyone turns into a 5 year old when they’re sick.

Scent Diary: 27.11 – 3.12.2017

Monday 27:

Woke up on my own time at 9.30am, fed and walked the dogs then made myself a big glass of 50/50 pomegranate juice & water. Excellent start to the day. Dabbed some modern Gres Cabochard parfum on this morning so leather has ben my jam for today.

Jin is home today and working tonight. It was a very pleasant surprise to have him around the house while I did the laundry and Trivia invoicing. We went on a quick grocery shopping trip and he cooked up a load of meals for the week. Brown rice, fried Tofu, steamed Bean Sprouts. Not really my thing but he is currently combating his fatty liver and we are trying to save a few dollars extra so we can travel lavishly in 2018.

It was a calm, lazy, productive day; beautifully warm and humid. The dogs spent most of the day on their beds indoors. They love it when Jin’s watching TV or one of us is cooking. They just lay there and sleep, occasionally looking up to make sure we are still around.

This afternoon, instead of working, I watched MiB II & III. Last week I’d caught a rerun of the original and it was so fun I wanted to enjoy the others. Excellent binge.

IUNX Splash Forte, Olivia Giacobetti’s under the radar incense masterpiece. Why the hell is it not the most talked about incense of all time?

TRIVIA Q&A. Guerlain’s Mitsouko EdT. Woo Hoo. I smell amazing.

Tuesday 28:

It’s 5am and I woke up to go to the toilet. While I was there Jin came home from work, so now I’m wide awake. Better finish my Trivia Q&A. A sneaky spritz of Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Ma Folie de Noel. Spicy citrus and milk.

Back to bed till 9.50am. OOOPSIE! I was supposed to have the dogs fed and walked before Scott arrived at 10. Oh well, he arrived and we walked them together. Then we office worked, went to the Post Office and Bank, did some decanting and had lunch.

Wednesday 29:

Up early (for me). Fed & walked the dogs, organised my backpack, jumped a bus and off on a big day out with friends. Fragrance? Vintage Miss Dior parfum. Yes, I smell like a million $$$.

Jumped a bus and a train to town and walked across the domain to the NSW Art Gallery where Lisa and I did the 11am gallery highlights tour. After, we went to the Mapplethorpe exhibition and did the midday tour. Both our guides were erudite and added so many extra titbits, some of then salacious scandal and others more to do with technique or timeframe. Two wonderful hours appreciating and learning. We then needed refreshment so swanned down to the Members Lounge where Lisa treated me to lunch.

We wandered back to the heart of Sydney for coffee and dessert in the David Jones Food Hall and then wandered the halls looking for fragrance and beauty. We swished over to Myer and Mecca (where I made my only purchase, the Diptyque Christmas Travel Set). Throughout the 4 hours of meandering we smelled maybe 50 or 60 scents and I think I ended up with 15 of them upon my person. It was a splendid effort and we both had a great time.

Then we coffeed and juiced, finding out that Same Sex Marriage had gone through the Senate with a YES vote and Monday it will go through the House Of Representatives. Fingers crossed. I admit we had a little cry. One of our days visual highlights was noticing that the Westfield Christmas Trees were GUM TREES! So good.

Then dinner with my frag friend Tim. He’s excellent company and we nattered away a couple of Burger filled hours. Laughing, sniffing and having fun.

Back home on a train and bus and walked the dogs. I’m BUSHED!

Jin had cooked a huge lot of roast pork and crackling. Seriously enormous. So much that I took some to BFF Kath’s Mum & Dad and another lot to Wendy, my trivia mate. You have NO IDEA how well he does it. The crackling is crunchy and mainly incredibly easy to chew, he buys and makes extra. There are a few super crunchy bits too which are my favourite. I feel like Rockbiter from The Never-Ending Story. The pork is moist, melt in your mouth delicious tenderness. For someone who grew up never knowing the joys of roast pork Jin has taken to it like a duck to water.

I’d like to take a moment to apologise for my lack of photos today. We were having WAY too much fun to spoil the moments with photos. So while it’s true that I’ve let you all down a bit, it was imperative that I live in the moment today and just float along.

Thursday 30:

Divine EdT

HOT here in Sydney, sweating.

Ran around all morning doing errands, had lunch at home with sick Jin who has tonsillitis AGAIN!

A card from Tara of A Bottled Rose arrived. HAPPY DANCE! I love postcards.

For work I put OODLES of Thierry Mugler Womanity on. It was a perfect heat beater and a few of the players at trivia mentioned how good it smells. YAY!

Vintage CHANEL Pour Monsieur for bed. HEAVEN!

Friday 1:

The humidity, even as early as our morning dog walk, is equatorial monsoon levels. Yet still I manage to be sweating buckets as I sit and type this. The CHANEL is still humming around softly but I need some coolant. Niki de Saint Phalle EdT to the rescue. It’s cooling, dry bones, arctic wash is exactly the refresher I need.

Jin has added a hacking phlegm filled cough to his tonsillitis. Poor little fucker. He’s on the couch with food and juice, out for the count.

Today is my only proper day off this week and next. I’m going to spend it getting myself ready for the week, catching up on eMail backlog that I’ve been ignoring since Tuesday and getting the blog and Trivia Q&A started for next week. Trivia first.

So Jin and I booked Anna-Maria, Scott and my Paris adventure Korean Air Tickets today. Also found five choices for Air BnB places to stay, now they get to choose which one they like best. It’s getting VERY fricken real right now. YAY! We are off to Paris in APRIL!

7.30pm and I’m feeling sweaty and unglamorous. The day has been wasted looking for Paris shit and I’ve hardly done a thing for REAL work. GRRR! Going to have a quick, cool bath and come back to the desk refreshed.

Nope, had dinner, walked dogs. It’s now 11pm and I’m about to start Trivia Q&A. What a wasted day.

It was nice to hang with sick old Jin though and watch some TV with him. We did go to Bunnings and get a replacement shower cord and come home and fix it, so not a whole day wasted.

Went to bed scentless, didn’t put any on after my bath. Needed a rest.

Saturday 2:

At around 1am I finally got to work and did half my Trivia Q&A.

Slept late. 10.30am I slumped up to feed the dogs and walk them. Jin was uncomfortably unwell so I slept on the couch under the ceiling fan. I keep forgetting to bring the pedestal fan up from the garage to put in the spare room. It needs some air movement to be comfortable in summer.

After a HOT bath I headecstraight for the Hermès Monsieur Li. It’s oily citrus both balm and coolant.

Tonights gig was an eighties inspired Christmas Party for Seasonal Concepts. A design crew just outside the heart of Sydney in Redfern. I’ve known Ken the proprietor for decades and he regularly gets me in to be the Door Bitch because when I say Invitation Only everyone gets the point quickly. I went as Crystal Meth-Carrington and had a ball. I wore Yves Saint Laurent Opium Poesie de Chine, a summer version of the 1980s classic.

My BFF Kath picked me up from the gig and I went and had coffee with her and chatted for an hour before jumping in my car and zooming home to poor sick baby Jin.

It was late so I had a little bread roll with the last of the pork & crackling and some salad. Delicious!

Then I came to the computer to do blog stuff and now I’m ready for bed. I’m going to spritz some moreOpium Poesie de Chine and then hit the hay. NIGHT!!

Sunday 3:

The dogs seemed especially pleased to see me this morning, we wandered a few blocks in the early humid heat and headed home. By the time we got there sick Jin was up and rumbling around the apartment coughing like a person with a very bad chest cold. Poor little man. I’m feeding him the Korean team and he has a backlog of heat in the microwave Congee (a thick rice soupy thing he loves and is full of goodness)

Rita, one of my mates (a stellar fundraiser, helper, organiser) is getting Christmas Hampers together for the less fortunate. She’s doing a drive to get food and small gifts together so people with less will have a little more. I raided my collection of hotel soaps, shampoos, conditioners and body lotions (perfect size for homeless), grabbed all my unwanted gifts and went shopping for some food. With $110 I was able to get a selection of Tinned vegetables, Twinings 10 pack teas, Biscuits, Chocolates, Sanitary pads and Tampons, Crisps and Nuts. I know that the crew will be mainly buying super healthy stuff but this is a Christmas Hamper, there needs to be some slightly luxurious fun stuff.

Bath in L’Artisan La Chasse aux Papillons and wearing Hermès Rouge again. Cool, sharp rose, creamy ylang and the insistent green snap of myrtle create something very different to anything else in my collection. Perfect to cut through the humidity.

It’s YOUR turn. What’s happening in your world?

Did you do anything Fun or Fragrant, with Friends and Family or maybe even had some less than Fabulous news you want to share? Now’s the time, in the comments below.
We love to read what’s happening to YOU.
Portia xx

This week has been blissfully fragrant and as close to low key as I’ve had in a long time.

A few meals with mates but mostly it’s been Perfume, TV, Computer and Home. Loved it.

Scent Diary: 20.11 – 26.11.2017

Monday 20:

Want a BWF that doesn’t punch people in the face but still manages to remain hefty and a little breathy? Rouge Hermès is the answer. I wore it today and loved every minute.

Went and grabbed the dogs from the trainer. OMG they were so happy to see me. Jinx was sad that Jin wasn’t there but kind of happy I was.

Went to the bank again to re-organise the new card and where it sits on my internet banking. Aurio was there to help, what a handsome, helpful man he is. So sweet. Don’t you want to squish him into a big old bearhug?

Saying farewell to a glamorous friend? Guerlain Shalimar. It was a perfect fit.

Took Gaye’s ashes to Neilson Park. What a wonderful send off. Six friends in a water taxi, some finger sandwiches, wine and champagne. We remembered Gaye, chatted about her wending through our lives , scattered her ashes and threw flowers to mark her passing. As we let her go the sunset went golden and all of us sang “For She’s A Jolly Good Fellow”. What a perfect way to go.

Obviously after such an evening it was impossible to concentrate on my Trivia Q&A so I went to bed.

Tuesday 21:

7am up to do my trivia Q&A Tom Ford Patchouli Absolu today. Soft and plush patchouli. It keeps coming and going all day. I’m now at the nine hour mark and still smell fabulous. A powdery patchouli, MMMMMMM.

Powered through postage, banking, sampling, and the rest with Scott today. He put some vintage Bal a Versailles parfum on while here and the smell was fabulous, seriously gorgeous.

My sunburn is still tender so I didn’t get myself into drag for work tonight. Guerlain Lys Soleia. PERFECT!

Got home, fed and walked the dogs through a cool spring evening. Got home, watched a few eps of The Good Wife, chatted to Jin who is working nights. Spritzed Andrea Mack Sharp, that weird yet cozy, warm, woody, boiling sand scent.

Wednesday 22:

Day doing computer work.

Ex Nihilo Fleur Narcotique from a decant. I don’t really love this but for some reason I keep grabbing it and spritzing. It’s a thin white floral with a bunch of other stuff going on, slightly space age. Hints of freaky that I can’t stop huffing.

Filled in for one of the Queens at a gig tonight. Wore lashings of La Via del Profumo Mecca Balsam. Super spicy, resinous incense. It wafted up to me all evening at work and now I’ve triple spritzed to watch The Good Wife.

Thursday 23:

Woke up like surfacing from the bottom of the sea. Just as I was about to open my eyes the phone rang. It was a very nice way to wake. Wearing Armani Prive Cuir Amethyst, cool and clever fruity leather. I like it a lot.

Another computer day.

Watched the last episode of The Good Wife.

Hopefully this will be my last night not in drag. My burn has browned off but the skin is peeling a bit and it’s still quite tender.

At around 11pm went to bed with Jin, 2am and I’m up, wide awake. Came and did a very small amount of computer stuff and had a cup of tea. Gave myself some Diptyque 34 spritzes and now back to bed.

Friday 24:

Day of visitors.

TinaG and Jean-Luc dropped in for lunch. We had a great time chatting and laughing, getting shallowly into politics and having a rumble about graffiti. Sandwiches and cups of Mandy Aftel’s tea, followed by fresh mango, strawberries, blueberries and yoghurt. YUMMY!

We opened a whole bunch of fragrant mail, so my next couple of weeks are sorted for posts. Can’t wait to get you all up to speed with this haul.

Then Phil dropped in for afternoon tea. Loads of news and excitement punctuated with belly laughs. Good day!

Jin had a bunch of king prawns in the fridge. I don’t like to eat them but begged him if I could cook for him. He was VERY skeptical but acquiesced. I made him Garlic Chilli Prawns with toast points, avocado, mayo and lettuce salad. So impressed with my work that I forgot to take a photo but Jin was really excited. It was a culinary triumph.

He’s up early tomorrow so we had a little snuggle before sleepy time.

Cacharel Liberté was tonights spritz while trying to get ahead with my Trivia Q&A.

Saturday 25:

Woke up gradually and got out of bed two minutes before the alarm went off. I love that.

Breakfast was delicious. Yesterday I cut up some fruit for lunch with TinaG & Jean-Luc and there were leftovers in the fridge. Mango, Strawberry and Blueberry with Yoghurt on Cereal and Milk. Bloody delicious. You can see my current favourite mug, a birthday gift from my BFF earlier in the year.

Paris was wondering why I am eating breakfast and not patting him. This is his come hither look that I usually find irresistible. He was pointedly upset that I refused his cuddly advances and walked over to make himself clear.

Arriving in the mail today. The BRAND NEW Goldfield & Banks Wood Infusion to review and do a giveaway for. YAY! OMG! I am swooning at this stuff. SO GOOD!

Quickest sluice bath ever, just a L’Artisan La Chasse aux Papillons soap up and a spray really. Then dressed up a bit nice and heavily spritzed Tom Ford Ombre de Hyacinth. I love its fresh spring zing, so green and fecund, smells like the Tarot Empress card should.

Indian dinner tonight for Alice’s birthday. The food was unbelievable. I had Goat Curry and Aloo Mutter Paneer with Garlic Naan. YUM!

Sunday 26:

Vintage Miss Dior Parfum. to go have a solo pedi. LOVED being there alone and enjoying the peace and quiet. Perfect way to wake up.

Then went and met Thierry from City Perfume. We tried Creed Viking (MUCH better than expected. A Patchouli, vetiver, resins bomb), the new Shakespeare line (particularly like Romeo & Juliette) and the new YSL frags Sleek Suede and Magnificent Gold (<My fave of the line).

Don’t forget the 10% Discount Code for APJ crew (AFG17) and FREE AUSTRALIAN EXPRESS SHIPPING if you spend over $150

.The Zegna pair are interesting too; quite niche or even indie smelling. Boundary pushers. One smells like drinking a G&T in a wood panelled club room during India’s sweaty summer. So annoyed I can’t remember which one. Weird but yummy.

Came home and had a nap, then I couldn’t even work up the chutzpah to get into drag. BAD PORTIA!!! Luckily the Austral BC crew didn’t mind. Anna-Maria and I chatted about our next international adventure! YAY!

So what’s happening in your world? Did you do anything Fragrant, Fun, Friends, Family or even had some less than Fabulous news you want to share? Now’s the time, in the comments below.
We love to read what’s happening to YOU.
Portia xx

Another action packed week starting in Adelaide and coming home via Indian Pacific. A large Surrender To Chance order came before we left so I have been trying a bunch of those.

Scent Diary: 30.10 – 5.11.2017

Monday 30:

We got up nice and early. Trying a new decant of Perfumerie Generale PG08 Intrigant Patchouli. This is weird. I can barely smell it but Jin complained of it being particularly strong and irritating. Bummer.

Coffee & doughnut breakfast, then went to the Adelaide Zoo. the ONE thing I wanted to do was go see the zoo here. They are Australia’s smallest state zoo but have a really good reputation. We joined a guided tour and it was bloody wonderful. Our guide Jo had been guiding for 10 years and knew so much. She was also totally at ease with answering, “I don’t know.” A perfectly respectable response.

Pygmy Hippo

Otters

Wombat

Meerkat

Emperor Tamarind

Giant Panda

Japanese for lunch. YUMMY!

Lazy

Early evening dinner at Parlamento Italian. I asked the front desk woman to recommend and she didn’t disappoint. Food was excellent, ENORMOUS portions and we couldn’t finish our meals, the pic below is the left overs we just could not eat. Then we went and had a flutter on the roulette wheels at the casino. Jin lost his $20 and I won a bit and played it down to my original $20. It was a perfect last night in Adelaide.

Walked to our hotel and now I’m bushed. Shower, CHANEL No 19 vintage parfum and bed.

Tuesday 31:

Up and off to the station. Over the soft remnants of No 19 I gave myself a lavish couple of spritzes of Amouage Beach Hut Man from my nearly empty decant. This shit is fabulously freaky, especially on a train journey.

Thankfully they provided breakfast and refreshments. I may have had some sneaky champagnes.

Tom McArtney was our terminal entertainment and then he came on board for more.

On board the Indian Pacific from Adelaide to Sydney.

We were running late so had only a 25 minute stop in Broken Hill. We were really bummed because having been a part of and cameoed in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert we really wanted to go to the Palace Hotel and see a Drag Show. It was not to be but we did get an On Station Drag Show. One of the girls, Shelita Buffet, was my lost sister draggleganger. The resemblance is uncanny.

In the evening we had a rare treat. Jin and I got the dinner table to ourselves, it was sweet and romantic. Jin is a complete introvert when it comes to new people. Combine his English as second language with a natural shyness and conversation is very hard for him. Once you get to know him he’s garrulous but initially he finds its very hard. So this twosome breakfast with no need to converse with new people was a dream for him.

Wednesday 1:

Wearing Phaedon Tabac Rouge from a decant. The more I wear it the more I’m falling in love.

We disembarked at Sydney Central Station and caught another train home. A fitting end to the most romantic holiday, it was blissful. We are already talking about getting a group together and doing the whole Perth to Sydney leg of the Indian Pacific. Well worth the expense.

Did four loads of washing and had to stop because the clothes line is FULL! I even dried the towels and bed linen in the dryer but still no space left. Jin’s clothes are all washed and hung, some of mine are but my suitcase is not yet emptied. Hopefully tomorrow.

Had an afternoon Radox bubble bath and then used Hermès Monsieur Li lotion and perfume. Smelling mighty good in a fresh citrus and sparkly oil kinda way.

Thursday 2:

I woke lazily, at my leisure, with a wonderful while of half awake/asleep like rising from the depths. It was luxurious in the extreme. Jin has gone to work early and I have the house to myself. It’s so peaceful.

In the mood for calm I went with IUNX Splash Forte. Olivia Giacometti at her herbal/incense best, sheer and insistent. Very glam but cool and restrained. Yes, I’m still on the dregs of this 20ml, I’ll need a refill soon. You can see by the bottles beat up appearance that it gets used for travelling. Stayed softly fragrant right up until bath time.

I thought I was nearly through the washing but it ended up being 4 loads including linens. So I folded yesterdays washing and started again. It took 4 hours and I basically sat at the computer between loads to hang and loafed all morning into the early afternoon. Hard to complain about such a lovely easy day. My bag is unpacked and back in its wardrobe home and there’s not a piece of dirty laundry in the house.

OK, so back to reality, back to dying my beard. I do prefer it black, especially for work, but deep down I’m a lazy person. This is 20 minutes extra grooming ritual each week. Yes, that’s how lazy I am. Sheesh, I’m even disgusted at myself.

Had a lovely bath in Olympic Orchids Amber/Labdanum Bath Oil, Moisturised with Madonna Truth or Dare Lotion and spritzed lavishly with Anna Sui Live Your Dreams. The amber and tuberose base gives live Your dreams a much firmer base to stand on. YUM!

Work tonight was only 2/3 full and we had a new table that really didn’t like my potty mouth, my gayness or my flamboyance. Oh well, if I was holding out for universal approbation I would have a pretty long wait. I looked fabulous though.

Friday 3:

Had stuff to do but most of it got cancelled. Jin and I had our waxing done in the morning then I loafed around watching The Good wife and eating far too much food.

For bedtime I multi spritzed Neela Vermeire Creations Pichola, I wanted similar but much more sophisticated.

Saturday 4:

Stayed up watching The Good Wife. Thoroughly addicted and never want to press stop and go to bed. NOTHING is getting dome around here. Next weeks blog may be a little sketchy. Oooopsie!

Woke up around 10am, Jin and I are going to an Auction up the street. We would have bid but I still haven’t got all my financials together for the mortgage lender. Yes, my bad.
WOW! We went, there were about 8 groups there and not one registered. ZERO bids. The Sydney property market has shown its plunging hand.

Drenched in L’Artisan Premier Figuier. Milky fig. Happy memories of Jin and my first big holiday together. We travelled through Europe and in Budapest I purchased Premier Fig. Never fails to bring a smile. To be honest I rarely wear it because Ashoka and Womanly seem to be my go-to figs but I’m so glad I grabbed it out today.

Tonight went to work raising money for the One Meal group. It’s an amazing crew that makes sure people living on the line or in real poverty get one healthy meal a week. They are spread across Sydney and hoping to go Australia wide. One good meal a week can make a big difference. There were 250 people in the room tonight and Rita, Marijana, Cathy and their mate produced it all, amazing. We raised over $19,000 and it feels good.

Sunday 5:

Woke up late and came straight to the computer answering APJ comments. Gave myself a big triple spritz of vintage Miss Dior parfum. So good, MMMMM.

Jin is currently on night shift so when he woke up we hung out for a bit. It was nice. Then I came back to the computer.

Had a bath with one of the hotel shower gels I’ve collected on my travels. It’s a very pretty green floral with vanilla. So to compliment that I’m wearing a luscious, chunky caramel vanilla Eau d’Italie Morn to Dusk. So rich and perfect for cool spring evenings.

So what’s happening in your world? Did you do anything Fragrant, Fun, Friends, Family or even had some less than Fabulous news you want to share? Now’s the time, in the comments below.
We love to read what’s happening to YOU.
Portia xx

In the week before a holiday I am seriously busy trying get everything ship shape. We did manage to have a life, eat out, wear a bunch of fragrances but I’m only 70% concentrating on living. The rest of my head is organising and planning, making lists and ticking things off.

Scent Diary: 16.10 – 22.10.2017

Monday 16:

Monday morning and my bladder woke me a couple of hours early. He He he he. I’m now wide awake so doing FaceBook, Australian Perfume Junkies and some other computer updates/comments/posts. It’s so calm at this time of morning I feel like more work gets done due to lack of distraction.

A couple of cheeky spritzes of the new DIOR PrivéeJasmine de Anglais from a decant. It’s a very pretty white floral, clean and uncomplicated. Reminds me of something else that I can’t put my finger on exactly, maybe an Annick Goutal?

Jin and I had our first Real Estate guys in to look over the apartment. They were very interested in the place but think we will not see as much for it as we hoped in the current market. Still, the money is not to be sneezed at. Apparently the market in our area is stabilising and maybe even dropping a little. That’s cool. Seeing another guy tomorrow, let’s wait for his appraisal.

Lunch at our favourite cafe. We shared a Burger with the Lot and some Chicken Salt & Vinegar Hot Chips. Delicious. Half each was exactly enough, we even left some chips on our plates.

Had a ONE HOUR LONG bubble bath in Radox Bath Salts and Bath and Body Works Rainkissed Leaves, like standing in a sprint rain shower in the garden.

Wednesday 18:

Dinner with Jin who ordered enough for four people. Dooley’s Catholic Club in Lidcombe where Jin worked for a couple of years. Everyone was so happy to see him and there were shouts from the kitchen. Food was delicious. We ate most of it too. YUMMM

Jin was given a porcelain pendant from Neela Vermeire. It hung in his wardrobe until he got a new car. Now his car smells of Neela Vermeire Creations Bombay Bling. It’s very freaking cool. See him peeking in the rear view mirror, so cute.

Thursday 19:

Woke up to a Perfume delivery. We recently found a site selling 1 litre demijohns of Tom Ford. I created a split among the Aussie Fragrance Network crew, 900ml sold in under 24 hours. Woo Hoo!

BUT the Window Fix guy had left a card. GRRRR! Sure I’d been sleeping but a couple of good knocks on the door or buzzing the buzzer would have had me ready for action. Now I have to pay for him to come again. So bloody annoying.

It’s a Niki de Saint Phalle kinda day. Sometimes only a chypre will do.

I am so sad today. Keep having fits of tears. Why is the world going to hell? How can the Church and Politicians say they are for us, the people, then not cure poverty or end war? How are there kids growing up illiterate in 2017? Why is Health Care so ridiculously expensive? How did business get to rule us so effectively? Why do I have to ask 26 million people if Jin and I can be married?
If I feel like this, one of lifes lucky ones. How bad must it feel for the less lucky?
Helpless is how I feel, helpless to create change in a world that seems to have gone bad.

For my bath I used Boucheron Trouble, Madonna Truth or Dare lotion and I’m spritzing myself with Le Galion Sang Blue. As close to an eighties menswear fragrance as is possible in 2017, yet curiously modern. Got a lovely compliment from one of the barmen as he hugged me goodbye, “You smell so good”

Friday 20:

Woke up this morning to the long awaited sound of rain. We have been bone dry all through winter and spring, this is a much needed drenching. I love the sound of medium level driving rain that sounds like it can keep the level up for hours, especially as I wake up in my own time, curled up warm and safe in bed under my duvet. Wonderful way to wake.

Chained myself to the computer and did Trivia Q&A and Blog Posts,. Drank LOADS of tea & coffee. Organised some giveaway stuff and generally made some headway with the list of to dos.

Had a spectacular order from Surrender To Chance arrive. Some fabulously interesting stuff to be reviewing and wearing. Woo Hoo! Now I have about 4 fragrances spritzed on different points of my body. Interestingly Ramon Monegals Cotton Musk seems to be the dominant player, who knew a white musk could be so insistent?

It’s late, the computer is going fuzzy as I try to read and blog. G’Night all. Radox Bath, then bed.

Saturday 21:

Bloody Hell! I thought after my bath, “I’ll just watch one episode of the Good Wife to wind down.” It’s now late and I’m spritzing Phaedon Tabac Rouge from a decant to sleep. Night.

Woke up to the Jehovah’s Witnesses buzzing my apartment block. Our intercom doesn’t let me hear what people are saying so I let them in, thinking it was a delivery. I told them that the JWs stole my sister and she won’t talk to me. Rang me the night before her wedding to tell me she was getting married but didn’t want me to attend. For the first time that I’ve told them this story they seemed genuinely moved, they apologised. It was a very nice moment but I still sent them on their way, nicely though.

Here are the boys at their favourite hour, feeding time.

In the saddle again early to get the blog organised.

We leave on Monday for a Ghan and Indian Pacific trip. Our six year anniversary present to ourselves. Neither Jin nor I are perfect. We are slobbish, sometimes grumpy, manipulative, unhearing or aggressive for no reason and we are full of human frailty. I’m really happy we’ve been able to navigate six years, there’s no promise of a happy ever after but I’ll gladly take a comfortable right now.

Covered in a bunch of fragrances and reviewing. I love this, so fun.

Kath and Scott joined Jin and I for dinner tonight. We had Chinese takeaway, so obviously I was thrilled. Loads of laughs and chattering away on topics from politics and religion through to fragrance, work, lives and families. It was such a fun night I completely forgot to take pics, sorry. Kath gave me this one of our food.

Back at the computer now blogging. FULL and fragrant. Good day.

Sunday 22:

Today I got a postcard from Val the Cookie Queen. What a freaking great surprise. Busses = kisses in Austrian

Chinese Reheats. Is there any better consumable anywhere? Throw it all into a saucepan together with some oil and water and mix it up. DE LIC IOUS!